The Broadford Football Netball Club, nicknamed the Roos, is an Australian rules football and netball club and located 88 km north of Melbourne in the town of Broadford and is affiliated with the Bendigo Football League.
History It appears that Australian Rules football first took place in Broadford in August 1884 when the Broadford Football Club played a match against Tallarook.
In 1906, the Broadford Junior Football Club was formed and played in the Central Mernda Football Association.
Broadford moved from the Waranga North East Football Association (WNEFA) to the Hume Highway Football Association in 1939, which ultimately caused the WNEFA to fold.
Broadford FC wore a black guernsey, with a red sash up until 1977, when it joined the Riddell District Football League and was forced to change its guernsey colours to a royal blue and white stripes design, as existing RDFL club, Riddell Football Club already wore the black and red guernsey.
On 17 September 2019, at the third and final Special General meeting, 52 eligible members cast their vote opting for Outer East Football Netball League (47) as their home of choice over the Riddell District Football League (5).
In round five of the 2022 Outer East Football Netball League football season, Broadford and Yea Football Clubs merged for the remainder of the season.
On 6 December 2023 during a Special General Meeting, the Broadford Football department voted to go into recess for the 2024 football season, while the netball department will play in the Northern FNL winter competition.
Broadford Independents Football Club The Broadford Independents Football Club was formed in April, 1904 and initially played in the Broadford Shire Football Association.
This club played competition football in 1904 and 1906 and won the Central Mernda Football Association premiership in 1906 and wore blue and white colours.
The Broadford Independents Football Club and the Broadford Junior Football Club merged in 1907 and the Central Mernda FA folded prior to the 1907 football season.
It wasn't until 1931 that "The Independents" reformed as a new club and joined the Hume Highway Football Association and they played there from 1930 to 1938, playing in five grand finals in 1931, 1933, 1934, 1936 and 1937, winning premierships in 1931, 1933 and 1937.
It appears that the Broadford Independents Football Club went into recess prior to the 1939 football season and did not reform after World War Two and the Broadford Football Club moved from the Waranga North Eastern FA to the Hume Highway FA and played there in 1939 and 1940.
Football competitions Broadford FC Seniors 1884 - 1890: Club active playing "friendly" matches against local sides / towns. 1891 - 1903: North Eastern Football Association 1904 - Broadford Shire Football Association 1905 - North Eastern Football Association 1906 - Central Mernda Football Association 1907–1912: North Eastern Football Association 1913 - Midlands Football Association 1914 - Club in recess? 1915-1918: Club in recess due to World War One 1919-1920: Mernda Football Association 1921–1938: Waranga North East Football Association 1939–1940: Hume Highway Football Association 1941-1944: Broadford FC in recess due to World War Two 1945-1946: Hume Highway Football Association 1947–1976: Waranga North East Football Association 1977–1984: Riddell District Football League 1985–2008: Heathcote District Football League 2009–2019: Riddell District Football League 2020-2023: Outer East Football Netball League 2024-2025- Football in recess for the 2024 & 2025 season. 2026- Bendigo Football League Reserves 1950 - Hume Highway Football Association
Football Premierships Broadford FC Seniors Broadford Shire Football Association 1904 (undefeated Premiers) North Eastern Football Association 1909 - Broadford: 9.12 - 66 d Longwood: 5.6 - 36 1911 - Broadford: 8.8 - 56 d Seymour: 6.12 - 48 Midlands Football Association 1913: Broadford: 6.6 - 42 d Wallan: 4.4 - 28 Mernda Football Association 1919 - Broadford: 4.10 - 34 d Kilmore: 4.5 - 29 Waranga North East Football Association 1924 - Broadford: 8.14 - 62 d Seymour: 5.12 - 42 1925 - Broadford: defeated Seymour by 9 points 1926 - Broadford: defeated Seymour (undefeated Premiers) 1927 - Broadford: 20.9 - 129 d Seymour: 16.8 - 104 1929 - Broadford: 13.12 - 90 d Yea: 12.5 - 77 1930 - Broadford: 13.11 - 89 d Alexandra: 8.10 - 58 Hume Highway Football League 1945 - Broadford: defeated Lancefield: 1946 - Broadford: 18.20 - 128 d Kilmore: 7.9 - 51 Waranga North East Football Association 1949 - Broadford: 10.13 - 73 d Thorton: 10.10 - 70 1971 - Broadford: 12.17 - 89 d Seymour: 6.11 - 47 1972 - Broadford: 12.10 - 82 d Seymour: 10.11 - 71 1973 - Broadford: 17.15 - 117 d Seymour: 15.4 - 94 1974 - Broadford: 10.15 - 75 d Seymour: 4.10 - 34 Riddell District Football League - Division Two 1981 - Broadford: 1984 - Broadford: Heathcote District Football League 1996 - Broadford: 7.8 - 50 d Mt. Pleasant: 6.9 - 45
Broadford Independents FC Central Mernda Football Association 1906 - Broadford Independents: defeated Kilmore: 1911 - Broadford Independents: defeated Wallan: Hume Highway Football Association 1931: Broadford Independents: defeated Tallarook by 11 points. 1933: Broadford Independents: 11.9 - 75 d Wallan East: 3.14 - 32 1937: Broadford Independents: 15.10 - 100 d Wallan: 9.10 - 64
Reserves Waranga North East Football Association 1971, 1972
Thirds Waranga North East Football Association 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966
Football - Runners Up Broadford FC Seniors North Eastern Football Association 1908, 1910, 1912 Waranga North East Football Association 1921, 1922, 1940, 1959 Riddell District Football League 1977, 1978, 1979 Heathcote District Football League 1986 - Stanhope: 22.8 - 140 d Broadford: 6.8 - 44 2001 - Mt. Pleasant: 10.8 - 68 d Broadford: 6.8 - 44 2003 - Colbinabbin: 20.13 - 133 d Broadford: 16.16 - 102
Reserves Hume Highway Football Association 1950 - Strathbogie: 11.7 - 73 d Broadford Reserves: 8.13 - 61
Thirds Waranga North East Football Association 1964
Broadford Independents FC Hume Highway Football Association 1934 - Wallan: 9.19 - 73 d Broadford Independents: 7.8 - 50 1936 - Darraweit Guim defeated Broadford Independents:
League Best and Fairest Awards Senior Football Waranga North East Football Association 1961: David Grubb 1964: Geoff Kirby 1970 & 1971: John Bordignon
Leading league goalkickers Seniors Heathcote District Football League 2001: 77 - Shane Moore 2002: 94 - Adrian Baker 2003: 100 - Adrian Baker Riddell District Football League 2009: 43 - Sam Taylor
VFL/AFL footballers The following footballers played with Broadford, prior to playing senior football in the VFL/AFL, and / or drafted, with the year indicating their VFL/AFL debut. 1922 - George Clark - (Richmond) 1922 - Ray Ross - (Richmond) 1925 - Joe Hammond - (Essendon) 1929 - Jack Green - (Carlton) 1956 - Bob Suter - (Essendon) 1957 - Kevin Green - (Essendon) 1958 - Kevin Parks - (Essendon) 1959 - Eon Densworth - (Footscray) 1974 - Peter Keays - (Melbourne) 1985 - Alan Ezard - (Essendon) 1996 - Barry Hall - (St Kilda, Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs) 2005 - James Ezard - (Port Adelaide) 2006 - Richard Douglas - (Adelaide)
Bibliography History of Football in the Bendigo District by John Stoward -
References
External links - Broadford Football Netball Club Website - Broadford FNC Facebook page 1911 - Broadford FC team photo 1919 - Mernda FA Premiers: Broadford FC team photo